


Lookbook

by cookieming99



Category: SHINee
Genre: M/M, Relationship(s), Slice of Life, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-15
Updated: 2019-12-22
Packaged: 2021-02-26 02:40:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 11,537
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21806047
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cookieming99/pseuds/cookieming99
Summary: Passionate Kim Kibum is an aspiring fashion designer.  He enters the world of fashion design with an exquisite collection that caught the attention of professionals in the industry. He becomes the rookie fashion designer everyone looks forward to. However, he struggles to make ends meet after deciding to leave his already succfessul career as a financial analyst his corporate job.With dwindling resources, Kibum calls his bestfriend Choi Minho for help. Minho offers to share an apartment with him. Despite being together, they live separate lives. Then one day, Kibum realizes Minho has deeply cared for him ever since and he develops feelings for him.However, he has no idea if his feelings will ever be reciprocated. What will become of them when a mysterious benefactor suddenly offers to sponsor Kibum's fashion show entries and even more?
Relationships: Choi Minho/Kim Kibum | Key, Kim Kibum | Key/Lee Jinki | Onew
Comments: 5
Kudos: 11





	1. Chasing His Dream

_"To realize your dreams, have courage to take that one step through the portal of the real world."_

Twenty-six-year-old top financial analyst of MF Inc. Kim Kibum just submitted his resignation letter.

It had been a few wonderful years with the company as one of the consistent top employees. He received praises from the top management. They were even eyeing him for a higher position that could provide him an opportunity to meet high profile personalities in the corporate sector. He also received more than adequate stable income, add to that incentives for his excellent performance.

Most of his colleagues envied him because for them, he already achieved a successful career. But for him, it was a burden.

Being the only child of a banker and a nurse, he was expected to live up to his parents' expectations: to be able to graduate with a diploma and work at a prestigious company. Seeing the hardwork his parents put in to provide him food, shelter, clothing and education despite the Asian financial crisis during his younger years, this motivated him to finish a high education and apply at MF Inc., one of the most prestigious finance companies in South Korea.

Bringing home this resignation news, Kibum's father was vocally furious. He was ready to disown his only son for ruining his once-in-a-lifetime chance to have a very stable life until his golden years. Thankfully, his mother was able to persuade her husband that they couldn't abandon their only child. She appeased her husband by explaining to him that their son had already fulfilled their wishes and that it wouldn't be hard to find work again having this work experience in his curriculum vitae.

If not for his mother, Kibum wouldn't have the strength to continue living. Despite what had happened, his mother continued to be supportive of him and even encouraged him to follow his dreams. She also promised that she and his father would always be there for him. She became his only driving force along with his passion to keep on living. He loved her.

Kibum's resignation signified that he could now invest more time in his craft, his passion: fashion design. While he was still working at the company, he was able to finance himself to participate at the famous Seoul Fashion Week as a fledgling designer. Although he almost used up all of his savings to create the exquisite pieces for his collection, it was well worth it. He got recognition for bringing in a fresh concept that even piqued the interest of household names in the industry.

The young creative had a strong vision that he could become the next Stefano Gabbana, the most sought after designer in the glamourous world of high fashion. Yet he didn't foresee the trials and tribulations bundled up with chasing after his dreams of fame and success, one being his dwindling financial resources.

In a desperate attempt, Kibum called his childhood bestfriend: Choi Minho.


	2. His Best Friend's Duty

3 missed calls.

Choi Minho’s handphone screen lit up for the third time. He immediately knew who it was but the caller had to wait. Just a few more minutes.

Minho was busy inserting the last clips for the video he was editing. In his peripheral vision, he could see his handphone screen flashing as the calls were made but he needed to finish his work in less than 30 minutes.

_30 minutes. He can wait._

Despite reassuring himself this, worries continue to flood his thoughts. Luckily, video editing is like second nature to him or he wouldn't be able to focus while having troublesome thoughts that couldn't wait for later.

Minho checked the time while he finally uploaded his work. 5 minutes left. He impatiently watched the numbers counting up his screen. He wondered why every time one is in a hurry, the uploads would be deliberately slow as if testing his patience, which, with him is close to non-existent.

[ Upload Complete ]

As soon as he saw that prompt, he stood up pushing his swivel chair back, grabbed his phone and hurriedly went outside of their department.

He had to call back. ASAP.

"Bummie? What’s wrong? Sorry, I wasn't able to answer your calls a while ago." Minho immediately asked the moment he heard a voice on the other line.

"Uhm, Minho. Hi. It's OK. It's not THAT kind of emergency. I was just wondering if we could meet today."

Kibum on the other line was tinkering with his lips, a bit anxious of what he was about to ask. "Also, uhm, can we talk about something?"

"Sure. I'll be out in a few minutes. Let's meet at your favorite BBQ place."

"Thank you, Minho. See you."

"See you."

[ Call Ended ]

Minho hurried back to his desk so he could fix his things then clock out of the office. he had to get to Kibum as soon as possible. His bestfriend needed him. He had always been there for him so this time wouldn't be any different.

* * *

Their unique friendship started when they were very young at a daycare center. Both of Kibum's parents were busy with work so they couldn't leave him home alone. One day his mother found a daycare center near the hospital she worked at so she decided to bring Kibum there.

Young boys at the center would play with all the boys' toys leaving nothing for him to play with. So, instead, he would just sit in a corner, grab some crayons and draw on the table.

Minho was this young boy at the center who always made friends with everyone. He didn't need to play with the toys at the center since his mother always packed his own toys for him. But, he would share his toys with the other kids and eventually get scolded if he lost some of them.

One day, he saw Kibum sitting at the corner as usual drawing away in his own little world. Minho decided to share one of his toys with him.

"Hey, wanna play with this?" Minho presented his toy, a little fire truck. Kibum ignored him.

This annoyed little Minho so instead of leaving him be, he decided to sit beside Kibum and checked out his drawings. They were stick figures of people with clothes.

"What's that?" Minho asked.

Kibum looked at him nonchalantly. "Not a fire truck. You don't like it." Kibum turned away from him and continued drawing.

This irritated Minho. Here he was trying to be friendly yet he was being pushed away. He didn't like it one bit. So, he grabbed a crayon and started drawing on the table too.

"Hey, what are you doing?" Seeing Minho taking up his drawing space annoyed Kibum. He couldn't understand why this boy was so persistent unlike the rest who easily ignored him and didn't share toys with him.

"Drawing with you."

"Why?"

"Because I want to make friends with you."

"Why?"

"Because you're always alone here."

"Why?"

Minho ignored the last question. "Look! I drew a fire truck!" 

Minho excitedly pointed at his masterpiece which didn't have any resemblance to what he proudly claimed it to be.

Kibum was dumbfounded at this silly little boy who proudly presented him scribbles but this eventually made him burst in laughter because he found this boy's pride ridiculous.

Minho was taken aback at this sudden burst of laughter. He didn't understand why Kibum was suddenly laughing but he felt relieved that his efforts weren't futile. Kibum's laughter was so infectious that it made him laugh along as well.

When their laughter subsided, Minho took the chance to talk to him again.

"What's your name?"

"Kibum."

"Hi Kibum. Nice to meet you. I'm Minho."

* * *

Minho and Kibum ended up going to the same school since elementary until high school. During elementary, they were often in the same class so they always spent time together. They ate snacks together. They played cops and robbers with other classmates but Minho often had to save Kibum. They also played ball games but Kibum would sit it out and just cheer for them from the sidelines since he really didn't have the aptitude for sports. 

It was during their middle school years that Kibum finally found a group of friends who had similar interests with him. Kibum would often decline Minho's request to eat lunch together. Minho would observe him from afar and see him genuinely happy with his newfound friends. Because of this, Minho decided to let Kibum enjoy their company instead. 

For a while they grew distant from each other, Minho with his group of friends always playing sports such soccer and basketball and Kibum chilling with his friends chatting about their interests. 

Then one day, Kibum ran into Minho with tears streaming down his cheeks. Seeing this, Minho didn't know what to do so he just embraced him in his arms consoling him. After which, Kibum felt relieved and told him what happened. Eventually, this became a habit of Kibum and Minho wholeheartedly accepted his new role. He became Kibum's shock-absorber.

This went on until they parted ways during college. However, they exchanged numbers and often kept in touch. Instead of running to Minho, Kibum would call and ask to meet up with him. He would then start pouring his heart out, expressing his struggles and worries over bottles of soju. Minho would always be consoling him or trying to make him smile. He would then make sure Kibum got home safely or take him home himself.

As they grew older, Kibum's requests to meet up with him became less emotional. Once Kibum got hired at a prestigious company, Kibum became more emotionally stable. It may have been because he worked hard to consistently achieve excellent performances that he gained more confidence and emotional strength. He also became less rebellious, more diligent, a work-a-holic, even robotic to a point. The Kibum he knew finally became an adult, but he somehow missed Kibum breaking down to him, revealing to him without shame his very raw emotions.

Tonight, Minho would again fulfill his duties for Kibum. However, he didn't anticipate what was to come after this meeting.


	3. Desperate

"Minho! Over here." 

Kibum waved as he saw a familiar tall gentleman wearing a black three quarter sleeve fit top enter the BBQ place and ask the receptionist. He was already seated at a table with a BBQ grill. 

Before heading to Kibum who just called for him, Minho took off his black cap releasing his gorgeous wavy black hair then running them through his fingers which somehow caught the attention of a few people including the receptionist. Kibum only shook his head and smirked as he witnessed that short attention-grabbing moment. He was used to having his best friend easily attract attention.

"Hey." 

Minho finally made his way to their table. He carefully folded his jacket and placed it on the extra chair beside the seat he took. He then placed his black cap on top.

"Sorry, I got caught in traffic." Minho felt the need to apologize. He always did whenever he would arrive a little later than Kibum.

"Silly, you weren't late. Also, you don't need to apologize every time we meet."

"But-"

Minho was interrupted when a server arrived with a variety of meat, lettuce, and some banchan Kibum ordered. She carefully placed each plate onto their table making them just watch silently. As soon as she was done, Minho initiatied the conversation.

"Anyway, so, how are you? You look...rather anxious or am I wrong?"

"Oh Minho, you keep saying the exact same thing every single time. You worry too much about me, I'm beginning to worry."

Kibum picked up the meat fat with one of the kitchen tongs they were provided and slid it on the now heated grill to oil it. As the fat melted, the grill now glistened with meat fat oil coating the hot surface. He started placing the thinly sliced meat first.

"How can I not when in each of our meetings you become an emotional mess?" Minho scowled.

Hearing this, Kibum stopped placing some meat on the grill and looked at Minho now irritated that he always had to mention the obvious.

"OK. Fine. I'm doing great. Except that my father almost disowned me for quitting my job at MF Inc." Kibum was about to breakdown but he held it in although tears were beginning to form at the corners of his fox like eyes.

The scowl on Minho's face was immediately replaced with worry. He instinctively reached out to his best friend's trembling hand and reassured him by holding him tight.

"It's going to be OK, Bummie. It's going to be OK." Even though Minho knew words wouldn't comfort Kibum at moments like this, he still said it over and over, more for himself than for the teary-eyed man before him.

Kibum's lips thinned as he struggled to prevent them from trembling. He tightened his grip on Minho's hand and took a deep breath to try calm himself down.

It took a few seconds for Kibum to finally regain composure. Minho now became cautious with his words for he feared that with just one upsetting word, Kibum would instantly burst into tears.

"Let's eat first. The meat's getting burned." Minho grabbed one of the tongs so he could pick up some cooked meat and place some on Kibum's plate then on his own.

Kibum just nodded and grabbed his chopsticks. He wasn't in the mood to talk so he just focused on eating. He grabbed a lettuce with one hand and picked up meat using chopsticks with the other, dipping it in some ssamjang before placing it on the lettuce. He then picked up some kimchi, grilled garlic and onions then wrapped them up and stuffed them in his mouth. Had he not been too emotional, he would have exclaimed "Mmm! Masitda!" enjoying the burst of flavors in his mouth.

"Masisseo."

Kibum looked up, wide-eyed, breaking out of trance. "Hmm?"

"It's delicious. Try this." Minho wrapped up a combination of meat and banchan wrapped in a perilla leaf then offered it to Kibum.

"C'mon. It's falling off." Kibum didn't have time to process what that was about but he couldn't let such a delicious concoction go to waste so he took it in his mouth forgetting about what they would look like to the people around them, not that they would really mind.

"Mmm! Masisseo."

Minho smiled when he finally saw Kibum enjoy their meal. "Right? One can never go wrong with BBQ."

"Right. But yours was a delicious mix. What did you put?"

"Oh! Some of this, this and that..."

Both childhood friends took their time eating to their heart's content. They ordered a few bottles of soju to start off their drinking session.

"So, what are you planning to do now?"

"Not sure yet but I did join a fashion show months ago so I've been getting a few offers but I haven't considered anything yet."

"You left your job when you were still uncertain of your future?" Minho was dumbfounded.

"Of course I've been thinking about it! I already accepted some small design projects which is why I resigned so I can focus on finishing them faster." Kibum retorted. He didn't like being reminded that this decision was stupid. He was already even scolded by his father for it.

"I didn't mean to judge, I was just...worried what might happen to you since you no longer have a stable source of income."

"Which is why I want to talk to you." Kibum shamelessly announced. He wasn't sure if he could rely on his best friend when it comes to financial matters but he tried anyway.

"What do you mean?"

"I don't know but I feel like you can help me out. You're my only friend who I can rely on when it comes to this. I can't go begging from my other friends. They will think I'm desperate." Kibum rambled on, now doubting his decision.

"So they're not real friends."

"Of course they are! They just don't see me that way..."

"Then why come to me? What do you need from me?"

Kibum gulped. His rock solid decision a while ago is now wavering like a flimsy sheet of paper. He quietly thought long and hard then suddenly blurted out something that he would surely regret later on.

"Can you lend me some money? I will pay you back, I promise. I just need to pay rent and some bills...I mean I still have savings but I'm saving them up for a future fashion show I've always dreamed to join. It will be held months from now."

"Woah woah woah. Wait. You need money to pay bills and rent? Shouldn't they be your top priority instead? You can always work to earn for the fashion show."

"But it's in 8 months. I have to start designing now so I can't touch my budget."

"Oh great!" Minho sighed in exasperation. "You still have to get your priorities straight, Kibummie."

"I will! Just...I don't like begging either but," Kibum is now desperate, his voice getting louder that people nearby turned their heads towards them. 

"Can you, please? Just this once. I promise to pay you back next month." Kibum grabbed Minho's hand and held on it tightly in a desperate plea. The alcohol might be getting into his head now.

Minho looked around before he ducked his head to speak quietly to Kibum. "OK, OK. But please, don't cause a scene that people might misunderstand. We might be kicked out of here."

"Jinjja? Choi Minho, are you serious?" Kibum blinked a few times searching Minho's eyes for any glint of insincerity.

"Yes!" Minho affirmed but signed Kibum to tone it down. "But we have to discuss it further."

"Like right now?"

Minho nodded. "What were we here for then?"

"OH! Thank you so much! You have my attention." Kibum shook Minho's hands before bowing his head incessantly. Minho almost slapped him out of it because people were now getting curious of what was happening between them but Kibum finally calmed down.

"Whew! I may have had a little too much soju." Kibum fanned his face with his hand. "It's really a great help. I appreciate it very much. You're indeed my bestest friend in the whole world. I lo-"

"Bummie! Relax, please." Minho stopped Kibum from standing up to declare to the whole world-or at least just in this restaurant-his most sincere feelings.

"I love you, Choi Minho. I love you. And you know that." Instead, Kibum just leaned on Minho and whispered. If only they weren't drinking, Minho would have been taken aback by such an open declaration. 

"Right, right. Let's go. Let's discuss somewhere. I'll get the bill too." Minho would have wanted to stay but they were gaining more attention now it would be best if they talked somewhere more private.

Minho helped Kibum up. He picked up his cap and their jackets which were neatly folded on the extra chair. Minho offered his shoulder to prop Kibum up since he struggled to stand straight.

They went to the receptionist to pay the bill but he said it was already taken care of. 'He paid for it?' Minho wondered but since he was in a hurry to get Kibum out there he just said thanks and left the BBQ place.

"Minho-yah~ can we go to your apartment?"

"Mine? Uhm, sure."


	4. Living Together

"Minho-yah~ can we go to your apartment?"

"Mine?" 

Minho was surely taken aback by this sudden request. He didn't expect Kibum would choose to talk at his apartment of all places. He usually would want to head home or sober up at some convenient store.

"Uhm, sure." 

He didn't have a choice. Anywhere else would be too much of a hassle. So, Minho led Kibum to his car, a black JCW Mini Cooper.

"Minho." Kibum broke the silence while Minho was driving. He seemed to be a bit sober now due to the long drive.

"Hmm?"

"You weren't lying, were you?"

"No."

"I mean... I... I gave up my lavish apartment."

"What?" Minho almost swerved his car after hearing Kibum's revelation. "So where are you staying now? What rent were you talking about then?"

"I stayed with my grandma for a while. But I didn't want to be a freeloader so I told her I'll share the expenses with her. You know how my family is. We always chip in for things we share." Kibum explained.

"Yes. And?"

"I want to move out and find a cheaper apartment, but I haven't found one yet that's within my budget." Kibum leaned his head on the passenger seat window, worry now visible on his face.

A few minutes went by in silence.

They finally arrived at the parking area of Minho's apartment. Before they went out, Minho turned to Kibum and asked, "What if we share my apartment?"

Kibum looked at Minho with raised eyebrows, shocked at what he just heard. "Minho, it's a serious matter!" Kibum couldn't help but slap Minho's arm. His imagination may have run wild, or at least a little.

"Hey what was that for? I'm being serious! Of course we divide rent." Minho scowled while he rubbed his throbbing arm. Kibum may be physically weaker than him but his slaps hit hard.

"Where the hell would I sleep? I don't want to sleep on the same bed with you!"

"I don't want to sleep with you either!" Minho retorted. Who in his crazy mind would think he could sleep with a man on the same bed? Kibum could sometimes get on his nerves. "I have an extra bedroom you can use. Let's get out of here so you can see how it looks."

Kibum would still want to insist but realizing they were in an inconvenient place to argue, he decided to save his arguments for later.

* * *

Minho entered a combination on the number pad and the door unlocked.

"C'mon." He invited Kibum into apartment.

They walked through a short hall that led to a stylish minimalist living room by the window. It gave off a manly vibe to it which mostly consisted of black, gray and white furniture and appliances. If there was any splash of colour, it only had to be from the taupe throw pillows and a huge abstract painting that resembled the deep blue ocean with bioluminescent sea creatures. Despite the lack of bright colours, Kibum still felt welcome. Perhaps it was because of that gray plush fur blanket draped on one side of the black long couch.

Minho noticed Kibum looking at the fur blanket. He had to clarify before his best friend might have misconceptions about him. "That's from my mom. She said my apartment seems a little too drab for her taste."

"Mom always knows best," remarked Kibum. Minho only snorted then went in his bedroom to drop off his work bag and laptop.

While Minho was in his bedroom, Kibum helped himself by looking around his best friend's apartment. The kitchen was directly opposite the living room: black cupboards and gray countertops, metallic kitchenware hanging on one section of the kitchen wall, coffee brewer, microwave, metallic fridge and finally a 6-seater dining table.

Kibum couldn't resist checking out Minho's fridge. If he would decide to live here, they should have enough ingredients so he could cook his favorite dishes.

'Adequate.' He noted mentally as he checked each section of the fridge. Before closing the door of the fridge, he noticed something in the corner of his eye on the counter. There he saw pasta holders with a variety of dried pasta: spaghetti, fettuccine, penne, fusilli, rigatoni, lasagna, even the bow tie ones. He was amazed that Minho had a collection he could experiment on. Pasta is his favorite dish to cook after all.

"I see you've taken quite a fancy with my pasta collection?"

Kibum turned to where Minho's voice came from. He could see Minho smirking at him.

"I didn't know you had a obsession for dried pasta." Kibum rolled his eyes hiding the fact that he was actually impressed by the collection. "Fresh pasta is still way better than dried ones though."

"Fair enough. But my mom insisted I have those just in case she will be in the mood to cook some quick pasta dishes. So, what do you think? You can start living here as soon as now." Minho folded his arms over his chest then leaned on the wall.

"It's quite late as well. Better stay here for the night even if you really didn't want my offer." Minho suggested.

"Don't decide things on your own."

"So you're staying?"

"Are you desperate of my company? Don't get your hopes up." Kibum scoffed.

"Hell no! You're the one who was desperate a while ago at the BBQ place. This is my best offer. Take it or leave it."

"What about lending me money instead?"

"I have to make ends meet too, so instead of lending you a full rent's worth, we can just share expenses here."

"Smart move." Kibum gave it a thought. "OK, I accept. But I must be in charge of cooking meals so you can compensate me."

"You're really desperate, huh?" Minho almost laughed out loud.

At this point, Kibum was just too tired to argue with him. "Anything to make ends meet." He shrugged.

"I'll work on the contract then. It's late. We should sleep. I still have work tomorrow. C'mon I'll show you your bedroom."

* * *

Knock, knock.

Kibum, still asleep, shifted to the other side.

Knock, knock, knock, knock.

The knocks on the door became louder and more annoying that this rather intrusive knocking pulled Kibum out from dream land.

"What?"

Kibum was rubbing his eyes when he opened the door.

"Good morning, dear tenant. I have finished your contract. You may read this and sign here but since I have to leave in..." Minho checked the time on his watch, "...5 minutes, we can do the contract signing later."

Minho handed Kibum a piece of paper. "I also changed the passcode on the door lock. You should be able to remember it easily too."

Kibum looked at the piece of paper with the passcode. "0923?"

"That's not your birthday."

"But it is!"

"Nope, it's both our birth dates."

"Ohhh~" Kibum was still a bit too sleepy for his brain to process everything happening.

"We're good? I have to leave now."

"Ok, bye."

"Take care of our apartment." Minho reminded Kibum before he finally left.

Kibum went back to his bed and flipped through the pages of the contract. He was still too sleepy to read all the details so he set it aside on the bedside table and went back to sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, dear readers! I hope you're still enjoying Lookbook so far. At this point, I'm still establishing the foundation of this fanfic. Just a few more chapters away to the part where my Twitter AU happens. If you're interested to read the Twitter AU, just find the account @minkeyau.


	5. A Glimpse Outside

"Eomma, how are you? You and abeoji have been quite busy lately. Should I help you close the deal with KJ Inc.?"

Lee Jinki, son of well-known and highly respected chaebol owners in South Korea, lovingly embraced his mother after politely entering her office. Having been born into this family, he only spent his childhood days with his nanny and tutors. However, his mother made sure to spend short but quality time with him which made him develop a certain affection towards her thus their rather close relationship.

"No need, my dear. You best focus on completing your paper works for the company we're establishing for you. It is as important." His mom reassured him with a loving smile that also signified gratitude and appreciation to his responsible son. They broke off the embrace with Jinki getting a gentle pat on the shoulder from her.

"Business matters aside, have you found a suitable partner already? There were potential candidates among the ladies you've met so far. My secretary provided me reports of your meetings."

Hearing this, Jinki hesitated answering for a few seconds. He was often bothered by this since he really wanted to please his mother but there weren't any that could match his personality yet. The ladies he met were all great and respectful yet they lacked something Jinki was looking for. Or perhaps because he remembered someone he hadn't gotten over yet for years.

"Not yet but I promise I will find one soon, eomma. I need to make sure you will have the perfect daughter-in-law who can be of assistance to our business." He replied with a reassuring smile.

"Oh dear, don't worry about that. You should find someone you will love and who will love you back as you are. Your father will understand or I will make him."

If his mom was easy to please, his father had always been difficult. He had been strict and busy that he had no time to be there for Jinki, not even during his graduation. However, he sent generous gifts but for Jinki, gifts wouldn't mean a thing if his presence was always missing. Post graduation their interactions, even during business meetings, had always ended in unresolved arguments. Eventually, Jinki gave up winning over his father's affection. He still had respect for the man but their relationship would be strictly professional.

* * *

Jinki was in his 3rd year in college. He only had 2 more years and his days of pretending to study to acquire a diploma from one of the most prestigious schools in the country would finally be over and done with. His father suggested- _imposed_ would be the more appropriate term-that he attend college despite having been homeschooled by the best of the best tutors and advisers just so the public would acknowledge that his son officially graduated from a well-known university.

One day, Jinki was on his way to the building where he would have his Business class when someone, a freshman, accidentally bumped into him.

"Oops, sorry."

People often bumped into him but usually they would just say sorry, bow excessively and excuse themselves before running off. But this person didn't. Instead, he picked up the book Jinki dropped and returned it to him with an apology...and more.

"Sorry, I was in a hurry. Are you heading to Business class too? Because your book-" He was referring to the book that Jinki dropped. He didn't finish what he was saying because Jinki cut him off since he was in a hurry as well and didn't want to be late.

"Yes. We should go. It's almost time."

"Ah yes, sorry again."

Eventually, Jinki and this freshman were grouped together along with 3 other members for a group report. What would've been another uneventful year in his college life gradually changed. He was assigned the leader since the other 4 all agreed that he was the most knowledgeable among them in the subject matter they were to report on and this freshman volunteered to be the secretary.

This freshman surprised Jinki with his skill in organizing notes, meetings and their final report. He made sure to take down all the key points in their discussion which made it easier for them to fix some issues. He also managed to equally divide the workload among the members who also diligently worked on their assignments. He didn't expect a freshman would be capable of creating synergy among them just by organizing everything for them. Jinki was so impressed that he started to admire this freshman.

They eventually got the highest grade on their report and even had a little celebration at a BBQ place. It was the first time Jinki enjoyed the company of his classmates, a world entirely different from his with people never caring for financial standing and the like. They simply enjoyed their youth with good food, good company and celebrating an achievement that for Jinki was only one of the many mundane tasks he does in their family business.

So, at that moment, Jinki also let a little loose, interacting more with them even for at least that night. There was one thing that he noticed during that time though. He saw a spark within that freshman that even he was taken aback by his own emotions. Or it may have been just the alcohol kicking in.

* * *

Jinki was sitting comfortably at the back seat of their family's black limousine as the chauffeur drove him back to one of his nearby luxury apartments. He would've driven by himself but his mother wanted to make sure of his safety.

While the chauffeur was driving slowly on one of the busy streets, they passed by a lively BBQ place. Usually he wasn't interested in looking outside the window but when he saw that restaurant in his peripheral vision, he noticed two familiar individuals standing in front of the entrance: one, a slender figure, obviously had too much alcohol and the other he could obviously never forget. He scowled as he watched that all too familiar taller man holding up his drunk friend by his shoulders.

_But wait. His drunk friend..._

Jinki stared longer at them trying to familiarize who it was. When he finally was able to zoom in his focus on that slender man's face, a prickling sensation of nostalgia suddenly coursed all throughout his body. He clearly remembered who that was: _the freshman_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, dear readers! I wrote this chapter to introduce Lee Jinki. I was planning to introduce him a little later where the core plot would be a little more established but I realized it would be best to give a little preview of who Jinki is in this fanfic. I hope you enjoy this short intro of Jinki's character.


	6. Agreement

Kibum sat on the couch snuggling comfortably with a throw pillow, his crossed legs covered with the gray plush fur blanket Minho's mom left in the apartment.

He had his iPad Pro situated on the throw pillow and the digital pen in his hand. His long slender fingers gently pushed the bridge of his glasses as he studied his sketch. Before he corrected a mistake he saw on the sketch, he grabbed the wide pearl aqua cup engraved with ornate patterns by the handle from the coffee table in front of him and inhaled the soothing aroma of coffee before taking a sip.

That one sip prompted him to close his eyes and appreciate the coffee he brewed, strong without overbearing bitterness. Luckily, Minho had the same coffee brewer he uses and some quality coffee beans that he didn't need to worry about going out of the apartment just to grab coffee at a nearby coffee shop. Satisfying his daily need for caffeine first thing in the morning-or in this case upon waking-could really set his mood throughout the day.

The sound of an alarm broke through the quiet room. Kibum set aside the stuff on his lap to get up. His lasagna was done baking. He checked the time on the wall clock while walking to the kitchen. 1:05pm.

_About time. I'm getting hungry._

He pulled down the oven door then and waited for a while. He then put on oven mitts and carefully pulled out the lasagna pan, the slightly browned mozzarella cheese on top still bubbling. A satisfied smile spread across his face. He was happy with how the lasagna turned out to be. _Perfect._

Setting it on the counter, Kibum grabbed some sliced fresh parsley and sprinkled it on top. Then, using a knife, he sliced the lasagna into 9 portions and got one for himself, setting it on a plate. He grabbed a fork from the cutlery holder and headed back to the couch. Before he set the plate on the coffee table, he cut through a good portion of lasagna and placed it in his mouth with gusto.

"Mmm! Masitda!" He was smiling all throughout the gastronomic experience. His elevated lasagna delivered a mind-blowing flavor profile thanks to Choi Minho's abundant ingredients and condiments. Or thanks to his mom for buying him all the good stuff. He was able to experiment with the flavors. 

Kibum took one more filling bite before going back to fixing his sketch and working on the rest of his designs the whole afternoon.

* * *

Minho had just come out of their company building walking across the parking lot to his car. He'd clocked out a little later than usual since they had a tight deadline and he needed to submit his part of the work to their team leader so they could finish on time as scheduled. He checked the time on his black G-Shock watch.

9:15pm.

He placed his knapsack and laptop at the backseat of his car then pulled out his handphone from the side pocket of his bag to check for messages. He'd neglected it and left it on silent mode during work hours since he was focused on his work. Before getting in his car, opened all unread messages.

**Messages**

**Kibum [5:09pm]**  
Hey, I cooked lasagna for lunch. I hope you don't mind. I left it in the fridge. Gonna go to my grandma first to pick up my things. I'll be back soon.

 **Kibum [8:55pm]**  
I'm back. Just letting you know. Grandma sent me some banchan. I put them in the fridge if you don't mind...or I can bring them to my parents tomorrow.

 **Kibum [8:58pm]**  
I'll be in my room in case you'll call me for contract signing.

 **Kibum [9:05pm]**  
What the hell Choi Minho??!?!! Answer my call.

10 missed calls.

Minho chuckled as he read the last text. He knew why Kibum sent that. It had to do with the fine print on the contract.

> _"Should the tenant be unable to pay his share of the expenses, he will be required to pay through physical services he can offer."_

He tapped Kibum's profile which revealed the call icon then tapped on it prompting the phone to call his best friend's number.

"About time. Took you so long to call back. Where are you? Out for a date? Come home first. We need to talk."

Minho was greeted by a nagging Kibum. He only smiled upon hearing this. It was the reaction he wanted to hear from his best friend after all.

"I reckon you read the fine print?" A chuckle escaped Minho's lips.

"What the-YES! I won't sign it until you change it!" Kibum whined as he complained.

"You gave me the idea, haha! You said it yourself. You're in charge of cooking so I can compensate you. Those were your exact words, Bummie."

"Choi Minho, stop twisting my words! You have to pay me cash for that, not to enslave me with a contract." Minho could imagine the scowl on Kibum's face which caused a smile to spread across his own.

"Haha, you're such a stress reliever, Bummie. Thank you for that. Anyway, I need to drive. We'll talk later."

"But-"

Kibum was cut off when he still had a lot to complain. He held the damned contract in his hands almost crumpling it. He would not sign the contract for sure. It was supposed to be a rental agreement, not some slave contract whatsoever. As if he couldn't pay the rent. He just needed to finish his projects so he could be compensated.

He'd deal with his best friend later as soon as he would arrive.

* * *

"Bummie, I'm home-"

Minho was greeted by a grimacing Kibum, his hands folded across his chest, a foot tapping against the floor. Kibum stretched out a hand holding the the contract he made attempting to return it.

"I won't sign it."

His pieceing stare had a murderous intent that somehow frightened Minho. Not truly frightened though but more like worry that Kibum might storm out of the apartment and end their friendship.

"OK, OK. I'll reprint it. But in case you can't pay, that fine print still stands."

"Yah! I will definitely pay! Just give me time." Kibum bit his fingertip, a sign that he was agitated with what he promised.

This worried Minho a bit, so he stopped teasing his best friend. "OK. Let me settle down first and I'll reprint a new one without the fine print."

"Thank you. Lasagna and banchan are in the fridge...in case you haven't had dinner yet." 

Kibum avoided looking Minho in the eyes when he thanked him. He appreciated that his best friend agreed to remove the fine print but he was ready to fight if he prolonged the teasing. Yet, he was taken aback that Minho didn't press the issue. This small gesture somehow made him feel warm in his heart. He shook it off and went to heat up some lasagna.

* * *

"Minho, what's this?"

Kibum lifted a separate sheet of paper and brought it closer to his face so he could see clearly.

He didn't read far enough yet when Minho responded to him while taking a bite of lasagna. "Oh, it's a separate agreement for when you are unable to pay."

"What?!" Kibum reacted but instead of arguing, he continued to read to find out what exactly was written.

"Compensation for...cooking meals?"

"Yes. You did ask for it."

"Why?"

"You asked for it, Bummie."

"I mean, why did you take it seriously?" 

Minho grabbed the paper from Kibum's hand. "Oh you don't want? Then let me reprint another-"

Before Minho could leave to get another one printed, Kibum grabbed him by the wrist with both hands. "No wait, I'm fine with that. Let me sign it."

Kibum didn't hesitate to grab the paper and immediately sign it. He no longer read the rest of what was written on that sheet. That compensation bit was more than enough to make him agree to whatever what was written after.

Minho mischievously smirked once Kibum handed him the paper. He still had the fork in his mouth after he ate a big bite of lasagna.

"What?" Kibum felt his heart pound against his ribcage. He knew that smirk on his best friend's face meant no good.

"Nothing."

Kibum grabbed the paper from Minho's hand and tried to find what was the source of that devilish smirk.

He found it.

There it was.

That damn fine print.

Before Kibum could rip or crumple the paper, Minho took it from him and hurriedly hid it in the folder with the rental agreement away from Kibum's reach.

"CHOI MINHO!!!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, dear readers! I hope you enjoyed reading this chapter. I also hope you can leave comments on what you think about the story so far. Each chapter will be connected to future chapters so if you forget some details, it's best if you check back previous chapters. Have a nice day!


	7. Piqued Interest

A group of reporters and camera men surrounded a slick young man as he got out of his limousine assisted by his two body guards. He had air of dignity around him that indicated he is a son of one of the respected chaebol families in the country. However, he wasn't dressed up in the usual corporate attire. Instead, he wore a black unbuttoned blazer with an inner glittering black fishnet top, nothing underneath showing off his lean yet muscular torso. Rather than corporate trousers, he wore a black tight-fitting pair of stylishly ripped jeans. His hair was slightly gelled and brushed up to the right in a clean, slick look showing off the undercut on the left. In other words, he was mesmerizing.

As he stepped out of the limousine, he took off his customized Cartier sun glasses revealing the most captivating pair of dark brown eyes. He passed by the crowd of reporters who somehow got pushed back by some unseen force keeping them away from blocking his way until one brave soul held her microphone with YK News logo in front of him.

"Mr. Lee Taemin, is it true that you will be launching a new fashion brand soon?" The reporter bravely attempted to question him.

Taemin, however, simply winked at her making her stagger a bit. He had an abounding charisma that could cripple anyone attempting to resist him. Despite that 'heavy' blow, her strong will to get some scoop took over so she followed and kept asking him in vain until he disappeared behind the revolving glass doors of the HQ office of LCH Holdings.

"Hyung, how has it been?" Taemin stormed into the office of his older brother, Lee Jinki, without warning.

Seeing his brother in his peripheral vision while reading some reports, Jinki shook his head in annoyance. His younger brother would always interrupt him the way he did now. He looked up to see his brother's smiling face, obviously expecting some good news.

"Mm. Paper works are almost complete. xTaem has been registered as a trademark. In a month, you'll be able to launch your business." Jinki only stated the necessary, no additional small talk. Since he was busy, he didn't want to engage in a conversation with his younger brother who he always knew to be a chatterbox.

"That's great news, hyung! Also, I need to talk to you about something."

"What? Can't this wait? I'm in the middle of making a critical decision."

"But hyung, it's business-related."

Jinki held up a hand that shushed his brother while he was still reading the report. Taemin complied, leaning on the table as he waited impatiently.

* * *

Kibum was still sulking with what happened last night. He sat on the couch hugging his bent legs wrapped in the gray fur plush blanket. Somehow, that spot on the couch had become his little comfort zone. He kept glaring at Minho as the other played Pro Evolution Soccer on the Xbox.

Minho excitedly jumped from the other end of the couch and pumped up his fists, controller still in one hand, as he scored a goal in his single player soccer game. It was his day off so he had time to catch up with his Xbox games. He caught a glimpse of Kibum at the corner of his eye glaring at him so he turned check on him.

"Nae? Still mad about the agreement?"

Kibum looked away and pouted his lips which made Minho fail to hold back a chuckle. He found it cute whenever his best friend would do that while sulking. However, this slightly bothered him so he had to reassure Kibum it wasn't a big deal.

"Hey, don't worry about it too much. I won't use it unfairly against you. You're also determined to pay, right?"

However, this only warranted Minho the wrath of Poseidon that he shuddered at the sight and just went back to playing his game. He knew it would take a whole day for Kibum to get over such trivial matters. Perhaps, he would have to deal with his sulky best friend later.

> _When you look sulky,_  
>  _I have to use my instincts to find the reason_
> 
> _It worries me when your words get cold_  
>  _All day, I only think about how to melt you_  
>  _I only think about that_
> 
> _I love you so I hate you, hate you, hate you_  
>  _Without any troubles or worries, I want you, you[*]_

* * *

"Ok, I'm done. What is it, Taemin?"

Jinki set aside his handphone. He had just finished discussing matters with a business partner over the phone.

Taemin didn't really wait long but he was already sporting a frown to let his older brother know he lost his patience. "Hyung, you made me wait. I'm disappointed."

"Is that all? I have to leave in a while."

"I'm kidding, hyung. Please! Hear me out first. I have a legit proposal." Taemin begged his hyung who was about to get up from his swivel chair. He had to grab the other's wrist to hold him back and talk.

"Listen. I found Key."

"Your car key? You lost them again?"

"Hey no, I never lose my car key. Maybe I did." Taemin's voice faded as he searched for his car key in his pockets. "Wait where was it-OH! I used eomma's limo so I left my car key at the apartment. Anyway..."

Jinki could only shake his head in disbelief that his younger brother, although sly, was very forgetful, especially important things like his handphone and car key.

"Key is that fledgling fashion designer who entered Seoul Fashion Week months ago. His designs went viral online for being fresh and unique." Jinki nodded as he listened to Taemin's account. "He brought something new to the fashion world. He would be the perfect creative director for xTaem."

"You know, that makes sense." Jinki nodded once again in agreement. "But, how do you plan to convince him to work with us?" Jinki crossed his arms over his chest as he cocked an eyebrow at Taemin.

"You, hyung. I know you can convince him. You will be the CEO of xTaem after all."

"Board of Director. Of O-New Inc. which will operate under the trade name xTaem. You will be the CEO. I don't know how to manage anything related to fashion. Just the finances and legalities. But OK. I will listen to your proposal." Jinki now had his intent gaze at his brother, interlinking his hands and setting them on the table.

"Wait. I'm going to be the CEO? Are you sure, hyung. Eomma and appa won't mind?" Taemin couldn't believe this recent news. He was so surprised that he didn't realize he blankly stared at his brother with his mouth agape. Last he heard, he would only be the Vice President of Operations.

"You deserve it, Taemin. You've been following the fashion industry for quite a while now and I must say, I am impressed with your ideas and decision-making for this business. Eomma and abeoji agreed when I suggested this to them."

"That's a huge honor, hyung! Thank you." Taemin was ecstatic. To be assigned a greater responsibility would mean their family, especially his father, now acknowledged him to take part in their family business.

"I'll do my best, hyung." Had it not been for the hand Jinki held up before he could do anything, Taemin would have given his big brother a tight hug.

"OK. So, I found Key, as I said. I had my agents track and follow him for a few months now and a few days ago I followed him to a restaurant. I even sneakily got the bill for them. Him and his friend."

"Wait what? You stalked a person and paid their bill? What the hell, Taemin-" Jinki was about to scold Taemin but his little brother cut him off.

"None of them questioned the paid bill, hyung. And I didn't do anything else. My agents work stealthily as well so I'm sure he didn't notice us. At all."

Jinki only shook his head as his little brother justified his actions. It wasn't the first time he did this, after all. The last time he did, it was because he had a crush on someone during high school. He was able to acquire every last detail of his crush which scared the hell out of Jinki for having such a creep of a brother that he shuddered as he recalled it.

"Moving forward, when and how are you planning to meet him?"

"xTaem launching, hyung. We'll invite him. I have his address. I'll have my assistant send him an invitation."

Jinki nodded. _Seems like he's perfect for this business after all._ "Ok, I'll leave that to you then. Anything else?"

Taemin thought for a while then shook his head. "No. That's all, hyung. Thank you."

With that, the Lee brothers made their way out of Jinki's office.

* * *

"Bummie? Bummie...wake up."

Kibum, still with his eyes closed, furrowed his eyebrows when he felt someone poke him. He was annoyed that someone pulled him back to consciousness from his wonderful dream. He opened an eye to take a peek at the intruder of his peaceful sleep. _Choi Minho. Of course. Who else could it be?_

Kibum wanted to go back to sleep but Minho kept poking him.

"Wake up, Bummie. I have something for y-"

"YAH! I'm still mad at you. Don't bother me." Kibum snapped almost biting Minho's finger.

Minho was surprised. He almost got his finger bitten by an angry Kibum. Fearing that he might get his finger chopped off, he just presented Kibum with a box, his hands very near the edge opposite of his bestfriend, warranting him a cocked eyebrow.

"What's this?"

"My apology...sorry. Here, chocolates. To help you calm down."

Kibum surprisingly appreciated the gesture that somehow tugged at his heartstrings. He now had a smile on his face which was completely wiped out again and turned into the ugliest frown he could manage when he saw the content of the box. "Yah! I don't like white chocolates!" 

Kibum almost threw the box away but Minho was fast enough to stop him by grabbing him by the wrist. Minho unknowingly brought his face near Kibum's which took him by surprise that he gasped and held his breath in. However, Minho didn't notice it and only took the box from Kibum's hand. He then took out the layer of white chocolates and returned the box to his best friend.

Kibum was still in shock at the nearness of Minho's face on his that he slightly blushed as recalled he almost thought Minho would kiss him. Noticing the box in front of him, he was taken aback when he saw assorted truffles, none of them white chocolates.

"You're quick to judge, Kibum. You hurt my feelings." Minho faked a frown and turned away.

Kibum's eyes sparkled as he noticed the details on the delicious truffles. What caught his attention though was the little card with Minho's beautiful but somewhat hard to understand penmanship in the middle of the truffles.

> _I'm very sorry, Kibummie. I promise, I won't take advantage of our agreement. Please cheer up now, OK?_
> 
> _\- Minho_

Kibum looked up at Minho who was still facing away from him. He bit his lower lip, worried that he really did hurt Minho's feelings. "Arasseo, arasseo. I'm fine now."

Minho's eyes lit up as he heard Kibum's resigned voice that he turned around, his face full of enthusiasm. "Finally! About time. Can you cook dinner tonight? Kimchi Jjigae please?"

"I don't cook Korean dishes, Minho." Kibum frowned.

"Oh c'mon, Bummie. I bought all the ingredients already while you were asleep." Minho showed him the bag of groceries. "Let's cook together then? I'll help you cut."

Kibum only narrowed his eyes and lips at Minho. He scolded himself mentally for even thinking of liking his best friend in a different way when he just used that moment to ask for a favor. _What was I thinking?_ He only shook his head at the horrible thought.

While Kibum was lost in his thoughts, Minho was busy unloading the groceries at the counter and while he was at it, he said something that made Kibum suddenly become attentive.

"I was actually thinking about paying you for this but since I'm helping out, I guess I won't-"

"I'll do it!" Kibum got up from his cozy spot and went to the counter where Minho was taking out the ingredients.

Minho cocked an eyebrow at him for suddenly being enthusiastic. He was about to say something but Kibum spoke first while he helped Minho organize the ingredients, a smile now plastered on his face.

"Grandma actually taught me how to make it. Luckily, I brought my notebook with her recipes so we should be good. It will be my first time cooking a traditional Korean dish then." Kibum turned to Minho still sporting that smile.

Somehow, Minho got weirded out by his smile that he grimaced in disgust.

"What?"

"Wipe that creepy smile off your face."

"Yah."

"It's giving me the creeps, honestly." Minho faked a shudder but he got a slap on the shoulder from Kibum which made him wince and rub the affected shoulder. No taunting could wipe that smile off his best friend's face. As he looked at Kibum in the eyes again, he noticed his best friend was now beaming at him.

"Now, how much were you planning to pay me?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [*] The Duty of Love, KEY, Face album
> 
> Thank you for reading so far! I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I'm almost done introducing the characters. If you want to check the character profile, it's on my @minkeyau account on Twitter.


	8. Crossed Paths

"Eomma?"

"Adeul. I would like you to meet the CEO of KJ Inc. in our stead today. I know I said you didn't need to worry about it but your father and I will be attending an emergency meeting overseas." Jinki's mom briefed him with the situation as soon as he picked up the call. She seemed to be in a hurry.

"Yes, Eomma. May I know where and what time the meeting will be?" Jinki, being the well-mannered son, politely asked.

"Park Hyatt Seoul at the Timber House. 7:00pm. Be there. I have to leave now. We're boarding the plane in a while." Jinki could hear over the other line some announcements on the PA system.

"Thank you, Eomma. Have a safe flight."

* * *

Jinki buttoned up his black suit, bottom button left unclasped, as he stepped out of the elevator. He made his way to the Timber House, a swanky fine dining restaurant and vinyl music bar. Its interior resembled that of a traditional Korean hanok but with a modern twist making Jinki feel a bit nostalgic.

One corner featured a table with two vinyl record players. Shelves beside it were stuffed with a huge collection of vinyl records, probably dating back to the 1960s, and a modern sound system conveniently situated in the middle. For a vinyl enthusiast, it would be a perfect haven to chill, preferred alcoholic beverage in hand.

As he looked around, Jinki caught sight of the grand piano, evoking a desire to try it since he got curious how it would sound with his playing. He almost lost track of time but a vibration in his pocket reminded him of an alarm he set specifically for this appointment. He would just ask later if he could try it.

Jinki made his way to the receptionist and asked about the reservation his mother made. After confirmation, he was led to a private booth with comfortable cushion seats on opposing sides of the table.

While waiting, Jinki ordered Deluxe Sashimi. He'd been craving it for a while now. It would be best to take this opportunity to satisfy his cravings. The set had a mouth-watering assortment of premium cuts of fresh fish and shellfish skillfully plated. 

Once he was set with his order, the waiter excused himself leaving Jinki with a chance to look around. He spotted a man, probably tonight's performer, setting up his piano scores and testing if the grand piano has been tuned.A sound technician was helping him setup, bringing over a microphone with a stand.

"Excuse me. Are you Mr. Lee Jinki of LCH Holdings?" Jinki was enthralled with the preparations that it startled him when he heard a soft, clearly feminine voice. 

"Uhm, yes. And you must be the CEO of KJ Inc.?" Jinki stood, bowing to show respect. He offered his hand for a protocol handshake.

"Yes. Kim Sodam. Nice to meet you, Jinki-ssi." She accepted the offer and gently shook hands with him. He noticed she was a little shy so he showed her a warm welcoming smile. She seemed to have relaxed.

"Please have a seat." Jinki offered the seat opposite his by pulling it out for and let her take the seat, making sure she sat comfortably.

"My parents had to attend an emergency meeting so I am the designated representative to meet with you tonight." He explained. "Before we discuss matters though, please order anything you want." He called for the waiter to take Sodam's order.

"I'd like a Tonkatsu Ramen, please. I'll just have water. That would be all." Sodam nodded her head at the waiter then she turned her focus back to Jinki. "What about you?"

"I already ordered sashimi. We can share it." Jinki may have noticed Sodam blush a little regarding sharing but he ignored it.

"So, Sodam-ssi, are the terms in the proposal to your liking or would you want a few changes?" Jinki began with the discussion of terms. He remembered he was doing this in behalf of his busy parents so he had to make sure contract signing would be possible.

"Uhm, Jinki-ssi." Sodam started, a little uneasy. "Your parents and I have already finished contract signing. Your mom just requested for me to meet with you tonight." 

"Meet?" Jinki's eyebrows furrowed, slightly confused. _Since when has eomma meddled with my personal life..?_

"Yes." She chuckled, probably remembering something his eomma said to her, making Jinki all the more confused.

 _So this...is a setup?_ A flustered Jinki imagined how his very own mother convinced this beautiful innocent lady to connive with her for this blind date to happen.

"Oh my! I'm very sorry about my mom's behavior."

"It's OK. Let's just enjoy tonight's dinner, to celebrate the new partnership between LCH Holdings and KJ Inc." Sodam this time tried to make the mood a little less awkward.

It worked. Jinki wholeheartedly agreed with Sodam's smart reasoning. "Right. I've been craving sashimi for a while now."

"Silly. You shouldn't have offered to share it with me a while ago." Sodam mock scolded. Jinki found it charming that she was able to break the ice between the two that both managed to laugh.

They now engaged in a more casual conversation as the waiter brought their orders.

* * *

"Kibummmie, stay close to me. Don't go too far, OK?" Seven-year-old Kibum was instructed by his same-age best friend Minho.

"It's hide-and-seek, Minho. I can hide really well." Kibum retorted.

"But-"

"It's not cops and robbers. They won't catch me."

"OK, but don't go too far." Minho furrowed his eyebrows. He'd been used to protecting Kibum every time they played games with their classmates. 

So, it was the first time he heard his best friend be this confident. One less thing for him to worry. Still, his conscience bothered him that something wrong might happen. He gave little Kibum one last concerned look but the other only grimaced at him.

"Yes, now go." Kibum shooed his best friend before running to find a good hiding spot.

Kibum didn't really want to meet up with their classmates over the weekend but Minho insisted with Puss-in-Boots pleading eyes, exploiting his kind nature, so he caved in. After all, both his parents have work. His nurse mom almost never had days and his dad had to attend an important meeting. Luckily, his grandmother visited them this weekend so his parents requested her to watch over him.

Kibum's grandmother was preparing Gomtang, her specialty beef bone soup, when Minho came to fetch him. Since his grandmother thought Minho was a reliable child, he allowed Kibum to go out while she finished cooking dinner.

Kibum hid behind the bushes near some trees, somewhat far from the playground area, where the "it" was counting to 20. He saw Minho just a few meters away in front of him hiding behind a tree. _Tch. He will easily be caught there._

Kibum ducked behind the bushes when he heard the "it" say that he was coming to look for them.

"I found you, Minho!" Sure enough, Minho was the first one caught which immediately made him the "it" for the next round.

One by one, his classmates were found. As soon as all the players were caught, Kibum came out of his hiding spot.

"Wow, Kibum! We didn't know you're good at this!" 

His classmates praising him gave him a boost of confidence, making him more comfortable to mingle with them. He turned to find Minho showing a proud smile. Minho did a thumbs up and a smile as a sign of approval. This made Kibum realize he finally had something he bested Minho at.

"Ready for the next round?"

A series of responses came from everyone when Minho asked to continue the game. Before he covered his eyes to count he turned to Kibum and mouthed as a warning, "Don't go too far, Bummie."

Kibum merely gave him a thumbs up with a sly grin. He could see Minho narrow his eyes mouthing a _don't you dare_ before turning around and started counting.

Ignoring Minho's warning, Kibum ran far from the playground, into an alley, where he found dumpsters and hid behind them. Just when he was appreciating his hiding spot, proud of himself for finding a good one, someone bumped into him. Thinking it was one of his classmates, he prepared himself to shoo him away but when he finally turned, he saw an unfamiliar kid, probably older than him since he was slightly taller. 

The kid a terrified face. The way he dressed reminded Kibum of one of those kids coming from chaebol families. He wondered why this kid seemed lost so his eyes softened and, as he was about to ask, two huge men grabbed the terrified kid.

"Hey! Put him down! He's my friend!" Kibum bravely yelled at them without thinking the risk he was putting himself him. He tried to grab the leg of one of the perpretrators halting their tracks. They both looked at him then began arguing in a language Kibum couldn't understand.

The man carrying the kid got frustrated so he instructed his accomplice to pick Kibum up which the latter swiftly did without question.

Kibum finally realized the danger he put himself in. He struggled to get off, pounding the back of the perpetrator with his fists, but the man remained unbothered. His attempts to attack became more and more futile, as if his arms and legs became sluggish despite wishing to hit harder, to hurt the perpetrator. 

Realizing he was weak and helpless, he started screaming at the top of his lungs, panicking, calling out to Minho for help.

"Help! Minho! Minho!"

* * *

Jinki and Sodam had just finished their sumptuous dinner. Both were greatly satisfied with the meals they ordered, admitting that they had been craving them for a while now. They ended up sharing both exquisite dishes after opening up more to each other.

For the first time, Jinki felt comfortable with his date. However, it was a comfort a family member could give, but it was good. So good that he looked forward to meet with her again. Their feelings seemed to be mutual since he sensed that Sodam was treating him like he would with a younger brother.

They decided to stay longer, transferring to the seats near the grand piano to listen to the performer who was now flexing his vocal and piano skills to audiences. Jinki was expecting to Sodam to leave as soon as they finished dinner but he was surprised to hear that she planned to stay. 

This made him realize that what he might have thought about her a while ago might not be the case for her. Somehow, he felt a strong heartbeat pound against his chest.

"Jinki-ssi?"

Jinki snapped put of his trance as he heard Sodam call out his name. He took a sip of his mojito and responded.

"Are you alright? You seemed to be..."

"Ah yes, I'm fine. I was just thinking about something." _Something you might not want to know._ He gulped, feeling a little nervous or, probably the alcohol kicing in, but he's known to hold his liquor well so this only confused him more.

"I see." The performer finally ended his second set with a strong last note and some words to hype the applauding audience. Surprisingly, he then walked towards them, catching Jinki off guard.

"Oh, noona has a date?" The performer teased as he approached to wrap his arm around Sodam's shoulder standing closely beside her.

"Yah." Sodam slapped the performer's hip as of scolding him like an older sister would to his younger brother. "Stop embarrassing your noona. This is the son of the CEO of LCH Holdings."

"Jinki-ssi, I would like you to meet my little brother, Kim Jonghyun." Sodam proudly introduced the performer as his sibling.

"Noona, why 'little'? You're embarrassing me as well." The performer may have whined then pouted at Sodam, acting childish without a care of his surroundings. He then turned to Jinki and reached a hand out to him for a handshake.

"Nice to meet you, Mr. Jinki."

* * *

"Kibummie..."

Kibum groaned as he rolled to other side of the bed.

"Kibum, wake up." Kibum felt someone annoyingly nudging him.

"Hmm...? Minho?! What are you doing here?" A surprised Kibum pulled the sheets over his lap. Even if he was wearing pyjamas, he still wasn't wearing any underwear.

"What happened? I heard you desperately calling for me." A worried Minho reached out to pat his shoulder but Kibum moved away.

"I was?" He tried to recall his dream but he could no longer remember the details.

"Oh...a naughty one?" Minho sneered.

"Yah! No way! Get out!" Kibum threw a pillow at Minho in an attempt to hide his all of a sudden flushed face. _It definitely wasn't a naughty one!_

"Haha! OK, OK. No need to be violent." Minho laughed at his now embarrassed best friend. He threw back the pillow which Kibum caught and used to cover his face. "Breakfast is ready. Please help yourself."

Kibum sighed in relief as Minho finally left the room. He once again tried to recall his dream because he suddenly remembered feeling anxious. However, he could only remember the boy in his dream. He wondered who that was or how he was related to that boy.

A muffled message tone interrupted his thoughts. He grabbed his phone underneath one of the pillows and to check the message. 

A client was checking in on his progress with the designs they requested. He hurriedly got up to grab his iPad so he could send a progress report.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, that was a lengthier chapter. Sorry, I hope you didn't get tired of waiting. Enjoy reading this chapter! Finally, all characters have been introduced.


End file.
